CUE REACTIVITY IN COCAINE-DEPENDENT SUBJECTS - EFFECTS OF CUE TYPE AND CUE MODALITY

Thirty cocaine-dependent subjects were enrolled into a cue-laboratory study to determine the specificity and sensitivity of this paradigm as a craving measure. Subjects experienced three cue types (i.e., cocain e, arousing, and neutral stimuli) in three cue modalities (i.e., audio , visual, and manual). Cue types were administered in different experi mental sessions with a period of 2 to 3 days between sessions. Our res ults showed that subjective and physiological craving for cocaine was relatively specific for the cocaine cue as compared with either the ar ousing or the neutral cue. The relative sensitivities of the cue modal ities in decreasing order was manual, audio, and visual. We suggest th at a modified conditioned-cue paradigm could be a useful tool in the r epeated assessment of craving during a clinical study. (C) 1998 Elsevi er Science Ltd.